Irish Council for Civil Liberties

Happy International Women’s Day! ICCL has been at the fore of the fight for women’s rights and gender equality in Ireland for almost 50 years. Today our work in this area focuses on effective access to abortion and on the continuing struggle to achieve full respect for women’s rights in Irish law, policies and practices. Today, we stand with UN Women in calling for Rights, Empowerment and Equality for ALL women and girls—especially those from marginalised communities, including disabled women, lesbian, bisexual, trans and intersex women, Black women, migrant women, women seeking international protection, Roma and Traveller women. We recognise their unique challenges and incredible strength, and we will continue campaigning to ensure their rights are recognised and respected. As we celebrate progress made, we also look ahead. In 2025, Ireland will be up for review of its obligations under the the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). We are working with our colleagues in other organisations preparing for this review. Together, we can build a more just, fair and safe society for ALL women and girls.

Congratulations to the winner of the 2025 ICCL Human Rights Film Award, Testimony! Directed by Aoife Kelleher, Testimony is a powerful and emotive documentary, chronicling the fight for justice by survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes. The film premiered at Dublin International Film Festival last Friday. It shines a light on the bravery and determination of these women as they campaign for truth and justice, supported by the advocacy group, Justice for Magdalenes. This documentary is a rallying call. In showing how people can and do mobilise to take on the most powerful institutions in society, it leaves us asking ourselves what we can and should do to support these women and everyone else in Ireland who suffers injustice. Thank you to our amazing jury for selecting this year’s winner, especially to Emer O’Neill and Alana D., who presented the award at the ceremony this past weekend. Stay tuned to find out where you can watch Testimony.

Are you interested in learning more about An Garda Síochána’s code of practice on body-worn cameras, human rights-based policing, and insights from legal practitioners in other jurisdictions? It's not too late to sign up for our panel discussion on Tuesday 11 March, "Body-worn Cameras: Practice, Procedure and Policy Considerations". Speakers include: ➡️ John Wadham, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Independent Expert on equality and human rights for the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the Commonwealth Secretariat; ➡️ Tim Willoughby, Head of Innovation and Digital Services in An Garda Síochána, Digital Services & Innovation; ➡️ Barrister-at-Law, Aoife O'Leary. Register for free ➡️ https://lnkd.in/et4_z59f

Today, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Committee on the Administration of Justice launched our new report, Policing for Peace and the Commitment to "Repeal and Replace" the Northern Ireland Legacy Act: How Should the Irish Government Deal with Legacy Investigations in its Jurisdiction? Victims and survivors of historical human rights violations related to policing in the South have no systemic processes available to access justice. Individuals can only complain to GSOC and the upcoming Office of the Police Ombudsman within one year of an incident. This is contrary to the Irish government's legal obligations under Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights to investigate loss of life and acts of torture and ill-treatment. Our report is calling on the Irish Government to commit to the following: 1️⃣ An independent, time-bound Historical Investigations Unit to allow for effective and independent police investigations into unresolved deaths and incidents of torture and ill-treatment 2️⃣ A system of strong, robust and independent public inquiries and inquests 3️⃣ An independent, international truth commission to examine themes and patterns relating to conflict-related violations. Justice delayed is justice denied. We cannot build trust in Irish policing until there is accountability for the historical human rights violations perpetrated by Gardaí and a commitment to uphold Ireland's legal obligations to deliver justice through ECHR-compliant investigations. Our report is available on ICCL's website and I am happy to discuss it with anyone who is interested:

Justice delayed is justice denied. Today, ICCL held a press conference with our partner, Committee on the Administration of Justice, to launch our new report and call on the government to fully investigate unresolved deaths and historic human rights violations, including torture and ill-treatment. Our Policing and Justice Policy Officer, Emily Williams, lays out our three recommendations for how the Irish government should investigate historic human rights violations, including alleged cases of police misconduct. Read the full report ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eB7eRWnK

It's not too late to get your free ticket to "Body-worn Cameras: Practice, Procedure and Policy Considerations", organised in partnership with The Bar of Ireland! 📅 Tuesday, 11 March 🕓 4.30pm to 6.00pm 📍 Gaffney Room, Distillery Building (145-151 Church Street, Dublin 7) This panel discussion will explore An Garda Síochána’s code of practice on body-worn cameras, experiences in other jurisdictions and considerations for practitioners in this jurisdiction. Our speakers include John Wadham, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Independent Expert on equality and human rights for the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Chief Superintendent Derek Smart, Digital Services & Innovation, An Garda Síochána. You do not need to be a legal professional in order to attend this event. Register for free today ➡️ https://lnkd.in/et4_z59f

ICCL has long advocated for reform of Irish defamation law to strike a better balance between the right to freedom of expression and the right to vindicate one’s name against attack. While we mostly welcome the reforms set out in the Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024, the proposal to no longer try defamation actions by jury is concerning. Trial by a jury of your peers is a fundamental procedural right — one that we have been campaigning to protect for decades. This week, former High Court judge, Mr Justice Bernard Barton, outlined the arguments in favour of retaining jury trials for defamation cases for the Law Society of Ireland Gazette. "It follows that dispensing with the right to trial by jury would represent a fundamental change in the law," he writes. "The consequences of which, for the administration of justice in this area of law, are profoundly undemocratic." Read his full analysis ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e7fv3uDU

The Bar of Ireland and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties invites you to "Body-worn Cameras: Practice, Procedure and Policy Considerations". 📅 Tuesday, 11 March 🕓 4.30pm to 6.00pm 📍 Gaffney Room, Distillery Building (145-151 Church Street, Dublin 7) Speakers will explore An Garda Síochána’s code of practice on body-worn cameras, experiences in other jurisdictions and considerations for practitioners in this jurisdiction. The panel includes John Wadham, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Independent Expert on equality and human rights for the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Chief Superintendent Derek Smart, Digital Services & Innovation, An Garda Síochána. To book your place, please RSVP at [email protected]

In an article for STAND, our Equality Intern, Binta Kyauta Salam, discusses how the corporate rollback on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments is threatening global progress on equality and undermining EU efforts to promote equal opportunities across member states. "A reduction in DEI commitments may lead to decreased representation and support for marginalized groups, potentially delaying the EU's progress toward a more inclusive society." Read her full analysis ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ejq6v7uZ

Panel Discussion: Fleeing to Seek International Protection in Ireland: Human Rights and Human Experiences The Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Irish Refugee Council, supported by Trinity College Dublin Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, invites you to a panel discussion with journalist and author, Sally Hayden. 📅 Tuesday, 4 March 🕕 6:30pm (doors open at 6pm) 📍 Emmet Theatre, Arts Block, Trinity College Dublin The State has failed to respond adequately to the increase in the number of people seeking international protection in Ireland. Since December 2023, over 6,300 international protection applicants have experienced homelessness. Today, 3,300 asylum seekers remain unaccommodated, a violation of their rights under international law. We’ll be discussing the human rights of international protection applicants - and how the State is (or isn't) fulfilling them - and personal experiences of seeking asylum in Ireland. Sally will be joined by speakers who have come to Ireland seeking international protection, and people who volunteer to support them. Book your free ticket on Eventbrite ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eVc-_QUu